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Essential tips for selling band merch and an interview
with local, experienced merch seller of 12 years
with local, experienced merch seller of 12 years
Home > Columns > Loud & Upfront in Columbus > Merchandise
When considering everything involved in getting your band seen and heard along with the growing
competition within local scenes, selling merchandise is essential to helping cover expenses.
Visibility is very important and getting people to your sales table is the key to putting your merchandise in
their hands. Placing your merch booth by the entrance, exit, or bathrooms is a good start. A cute merch girl
wearing the new baby doll tee with your band's logo on it will definitely get your stuff a second glance.
Do what you can to make sure at least one band member can visit the booth. Your fans, both the new and
faithful, want to say hi to you. Have a paint pen or a Sharpie on hand and be ready to sign CDs and shirts.
Now that you've got their attention, give them something for free; everyone loves free stuff! Pens and
matchbooks may seem unconventional for this industry, but they are cheap to buy in bulk and best of all
they get passed around and lost and you never know whose hands they will end up in. Go ahead and sell
those buttons and stickers for a buck or two, but don't be afraid to give them away for the sake of promotion.
Offer specials! If you're selling your CD for ten bucks and your t-shirt for fifteen, package them for twenty
dollars. While they're already dropping hard-earned cash on your merch, giving them special pricing on
multiple items may have them dipping slightly deeper into their wallets or purses to get "the deal."
Don't be afraid to think outside the box. If you can think of it, someone out there will put your logo, band
name, or website on it. The more variety you have, the more customers you can appeal to.
Oh, and have you noticed? Girls love to buy stuff. Are you selling to them? Trust me: they do not want to
wear the same t-shirts you are selling to the guys. Baby doll tees, underwear, bracelets, etc. are all just as
easy to put your band's name on and have a specific appeal to an oftentimes overlooked demographic.
Mention your merch constantly. Promote it from the stage. Create an online storefront and put the link to
your band's merch on everything: fliers, MySpace, Facebook, blogs, and your website. Remember to keep
your mind open to not only new ideas but also to what has worked for other bands.
"Merch girl" Corinne Henahan was happy to give some insight to her world of merchandising for the
Columbus psychedelic/rock/jam band əkoostik Hookah.
competition within local scenes, selling merchandise is essential to helping cover expenses.
Visibility is very important and getting people to your sales table is the key to putting your merchandise in
their hands. Placing your merch booth by the entrance, exit, or bathrooms is a good start. A cute merch girl
wearing the new baby doll tee with your band's logo on it will definitely get your stuff a second glance.
Do what you can to make sure at least one band member can visit the booth. Your fans, both the new and
faithful, want to say hi to you. Have a paint pen or a Sharpie on hand and be ready to sign CDs and shirts.
Now that you've got their attention, give them something for free; everyone loves free stuff! Pens and
matchbooks may seem unconventional for this industry, but they are cheap to buy in bulk and best of all
they get passed around and lost and you never know whose hands they will end up in. Go ahead and sell
those buttons and stickers for a buck or two, but don't be afraid to give them away for the sake of promotion.
Offer specials! If you're selling your CD for ten bucks and your t-shirt for fifteen, package them for twenty
dollars. While they're already dropping hard-earned cash on your merch, giving them special pricing on
multiple items may have them dipping slightly deeper into their wallets or purses to get "the deal."
Don't be afraid to think outside the box. If you can think of it, someone out there will put your logo, band
name, or website on it. The more variety you have, the more customers you can appeal to.
Oh, and have you noticed? Girls love to buy stuff. Are you selling to them? Trust me: they do not want to
wear the same t-shirts you are selling to the guys. Baby doll tees, underwear, bracelets, etc. are all just as
easy to put your band's name on and have a specific appeal to an oftentimes overlooked demographic.
Mention your merch constantly. Promote it from the stage. Create an online storefront and put the link to
your band's merch on everything: fliers, MySpace, Facebook, blogs, and your website. Remember to keep
your mind open to not only new ideas but also to what has worked for other bands.
"Merch girl" Corinne Henahan was happy to give some insight to her world of merchandising for the
Columbus psychedelic/rock/jam band əkoostik Hookah.
Corinee Henahan has been a merch girl for Columbus
band əkoositk Hookah for 12 years. Photo submitted.
band əkoositk Hookah for 12 years. Photo submitted.
Out Of The Blue ootb646.com
dw: How long have you been handling merchandise for
əkoostik Hookah?
CH: I started selling merchandise during the summer of 1997.
So twelve years, but not continuously. It started as a summer job
when I was a student at Kent State. After graduation, I began full-
time, but then I had kids, so it was just for the big shows during
that time. There have been other people in the position, but the
band always had me run the major events: festivals, CD
releases, New Years. I've been full-time for several years now
and have progressively been put in charge of making new
merchandise. I produced the Live at the Newport DVD and work
with artists to get new designs for shirts.
dw: Have the buying trends of the fans changed since you
started?
CH: No, not really. People that are new to the music always
əkoostik Hookah?
CH: I started selling merchandise during the summer of 1997.
So twelve years, but not continuously. It started as a summer job
when I was a student at Kent State. After graduation, I began full-
time, but then I had kids, so it was just for the big shows during
that time. There have been other people in the position, but the
band always had me run the major events: festivals, CD
releases, New Years. I've been full-time for several years now
and have progressively been put in charge of making new
merchandise. I produced the Live at the Newport DVD and work
with artists to get new designs for shirts.
dw: Have the buying trends of the fans changed since you
started?
CH: No, not really. People that are new to the music always
purchase a CD first. They had a good time at the show and want to confirm their impressions by listening
to the music again later. It isn't until after they love the CD that people "join the club" and the next time they
come (if they come back) they will buy a shirt, sticker, whatever. People don't want to wear the name of the
band until they've decided they want to be part of that club, to identify themselves that way.
dw: Would you say you sell to more men or women?
CH: I guess I sell more to men. Men buy for themselves and they also buy things to impress the women. I
sell a lot of women's products to men who are bringing something to their girlfriend.
dw: What item is your most consistent best-seller?
CH: The plain old sticker! Every fan wants one and it is something people buy over and over again. They
get a new car, a new dorm room - it's cheap, and it's something you can afford to give away. It's perfect for
the fan that wants to spread the word.
dw: How do you come up with some of the more unique things you sell?
CH: A lot of the fans are crafters and artists. They tend to bring the ideas to me and if it's something I think
people will buy, we will carry it at the booth. Not a lot of bands do this, but əkoostik Hookah has a special
"home grown," grassroots culture that really matches with some of the artsy, handmade goods.
dw: How important would you say the appearance and location of the booth is?
CH: The most important thing is location, the appearance is second to that. You have to make sure
everyone sees the merchandise, so it is important to locate it where everyone has to go. That is why you
sometimes find me near the bathrooms or the exit. The appearance is also important. I make sure the
shirts are displayed flat and full so that people can see the design and the cut of the shirt. Lighting is
paramount. I use lots of bright, white light so people can see the products and read the tracks on the CDs,
but I also use novelty lighting, like rope light or Christmas lights because they attract people, like moths to a
street lamp.
dw: Do you have any advice for fellow merchandisers who are starting with a limited budget?
CH: Sure! CDs need to be first, even if you can only make burned discs of a live performance. Give them
away free if you want. That's what makes people "fans" and brings them back again; they won't buy a shirt
until they are a fan. Then, start off with some simple shirts. You can even do your own screen printing using
a kit from a craft store to make a one-color design. Just make sure you are using whatever profit you get
from these first endeavors to re-invest into the next step: more shirts, studio time for a CD, stickers.
Remember that you are creating a "brand." Keep a mailing list, and keep in touch with people that sign it.
You want to create brand loyalty so people will keep coming to the shows, looking for the next new CD or
t-shirt.
to the music again later. It isn't until after they love the CD that people "join the club" and the next time they
come (if they come back) they will buy a shirt, sticker, whatever. People don't want to wear the name of the
band until they've decided they want to be part of that club, to identify themselves that way.
dw: Would you say you sell to more men or women?
CH: I guess I sell more to men. Men buy for themselves and they also buy things to impress the women. I
sell a lot of women's products to men who are bringing something to their girlfriend.
dw: What item is your most consistent best-seller?
CH: The plain old sticker! Every fan wants one and it is something people buy over and over again. They
get a new car, a new dorm room - it's cheap, and it's something you can afford to give away. It's perfect for
the fan that wants to spread the word.
dw: How do you come up with some of the more unique things you sell?
CH: A lot of the fans are crafters and artists. They tend to bring the ideas to me and if it's something I think
people will buy, we will carry it at the booth. Not a lot of bands do this, but əkoostik Hookah has a special
"home grown," grassroots culture that really matches with some of the artsy, handmade goods.
dw: How important would you say the appearance and location of the booth is?
CH: The most important thing is location, the appearance is second to that. You have to make sure
everyone sees the merchandise, so it is important to locate it where everyone has to go. That is why you
sometimes find me near the bathrooms or the exit. The appearance is also important. I make sure the
shirts are displayed flat and full so that people can see the design and the cut of the shirt. Lighting is
paramount. I use lots of bright, white light so people can see the products and read the tracks on the CDs,
but I also use novelty lighting, like rope light or Christmas lights because they attract people, like moths to a
street lamp.
dw: Do you have any advice for fellow merchandisers who are starting with a limited budget?
CH: Sure! CDs need to be first, even if you can only make burned discs of a live performance. Give them
away free if you want. That's what makes people "fans" and brings them back again; they won't buy a shirt
until they are a fan. Then, start off with some simple shirts. You can even do your own screen printing using
a kit from a craft store to make a one-color design. Just make sure you are using whatever profit you get
from these first endeavors to re-invest into the next step: more shirts, studio time for a CD, stickers.
Remember that you are creating a "brand." Keep a mailing list, and keep in touch with people that sign it.
You want to create brand loyalty so people will keep coming to the shows, looking for the next new CD or
t-shirt.